Frequently, it is desirable to have equipment or heavy loads mounted on castors or wheels for mobility while maintaining the ability to fix the load in place. Construction scaffolding is an example of such a use where assembly and use of the scaffolding may first occur in one location, but thereafter it is desired to move the scaffolding to a new location without spending the time or effort necessary to disassemble and reassemble it. Traditionally, there have been safety concerns regarding scaffolding or loads on wheels since such constructs are prone to wobble and/or movement if not braced or anchored. To counteract this it is desirable to stop or substantially restrict rotation of the wheels to provide the necessary stability.
One attempt to address this problem is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,096 issued to Eugene Perry. The Perry patent illustrates a typical prior art castor consisting of a wheel, a load bracket, a foot lever, and one brake. In a typical prior art castor, the operator steps on the foot lever to transpose the load over the center of the wheel. This movement brings the wheel into contact with the brake, where resistance and inertia may restrict movement of the wheel.
There remains a need for a castor which can safely and selectively restrict movement of the wheel to provide improved load stability.